Undressed at the Symphony encapsulates the emotional complexities of love and heartbreak

There is something so human to Faye Webster’s work and this latest album is no different. 

Very few artists capture yearning quite in the way Faye Webster does. Her wispy vocals lull listeners to a place deep within themselves, touching on the emotions we may feel too shy to express. 

The Atlanta native manages to strum this exact level of vulnerability on her fifth studio album Underdressed at the Symphony through rich bossa nova acoustics, lush percussion and vivid orchestral solos that provide cushion and comfort to her raw lyrics. 

On first listen, one may not view this as an album that hints at a breakup–especially if you consider the album’s lead single, “Lego Ring,” featuring longtime friend Lil Yachty. Their combined vocals sing, “I want a lego ring/I want it to hurt my finger.” It can be inferred that the ring Webster is referring to is a ring from a lover. She wants the pain to remind her and in some way serve as a reminder of her love for her partner. That is the artistry of Faye Webster, taking the simple item’s ideas and emotions and peeling back the underlying sentiment. 

The album opens with “Thinking About You,” a 7-minute melodic ride in which Webster confesses her yearning feelings for her former love. Simple in lyricism, the instrumentation provides a rigid opening for listeners to feel what Webster slowly begins to peel back and express. 

On the following track, “But Not Kiss,” Webster stays guarded as her delicate voice sings, “I wanna sleep in your arms, but not kiss.” The percussion pulls her back to reality. Webster sings of a love that has ended, yet she expresses a “right person, wrong time” sentiment, “I want to see you in my dreams, but then forget/ We’re meant to be, but not yet.” The tango between Webster’s soft vocals and the crashing of percussion metaphorically speaks to the pain of navigating a breakup and the yearning for things that may never return. 

“Wanna Quit All the Time” is a very clear example of Webster’s psyche, as she honestly discusses fame and how she feels navigating it. “I wanna quit all the time/I think about it all the time/It’s the attention that freaks me out.” Her words allude to fame in the 21st century, where parasocial relationships and social media have stripped away privacy and autonomy. 

Similar to the album’s opening track, Webster returns to a repetition with “Lifetime” where she unarms and sings, “Can’t imagine me/Before you/In a lifetime/In a lifetime.” By coupling an angelic voice with the harmony of an orchestra, Webster seems to beautifully complicate some of the most simple feelings. Whatever the case may be, Webster gives weight to universal emotions within our interpersonal relationships. 

Webster’s orchestral influence on this record bloomed from her personal healing experience from heartbreak. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Webster admits that she would attend local symphonies in her hometown of Atlanta as a way to cope with the separation.

“I found it therapeutic,” she says. “Nobody knows me, I don’t know anybody. I don’t know what I’m listening to half the time. When I was really going through a hard time, I was like, ‘Oh, is there a show tonight?’” 

Underdressed at the Symphony is the first time Webster makes a direct hint at her breakup with Atlanta’s Danger Incorporated rapper Boothlord. 

In the song, Webster wonders if her former partner is coping the same way and reminisces about what once was. “I’m underdressed at the symphony/ Crying to songs you put me on.” However, the orchestra that joins Webster on this track washes Webster away, scooping up her worries and questions into the sonic landscape of violins. 

In my opinion, Webster’s uniqueness lies in her ability to blend various genres into a sonically rich landscape. She strategically crafts experiences that express her emotions best; it is a style of writing that connects directly to the audience. My first experience with Faye Webster happened during my junior year of high school. It was spring and I tended to test out new songs and artists during that season. 

“Kingston” by Faye Webster was one of those songs. Her vocals felt like I was cascading down an opulent slide. I had no crushes at the time, but I still felt subdued by the love that Webster expressed when she repeated, “Baby tell me where you wanna go/Baby tell me what you want to know/Give you everything I have and more.” 

Whether it is love or heartbreak, Faye Webster manages to capture these emotions and their complexities. She says the quiet part out loud without fear of judgment. She takes listeners to a place of vulnerability with her and, in turn, makes us recognize how deep our own vulnerability runs. She can take something as miscellaneous as a  “lego ring” and turn it into a soft ballad about yearning for commitment. Even through simplicity, she brings the complexities of human emotions to the surface in a delicately stunning way.

Header by Sofi Martinez